Drain tub assembly



July 2U, 1954 T TlBERl 2,684,175

DRAIN TUB ASSEMBLY Filed sept, e, 1951 Patented July 20, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRAIN TUB ASSEMBLY Thomas Tiberi, Chicago Heights, Ill. Application September 6, 1951, Serial No. 245,384

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to drain tub assemblies, and is particularly concerned with the provision of an improved drain tub construction for twin tubs.

O-ne of the objects of the invention is the provision of an improved drain tub assembly which is rigid and durable in construction, but which requires a minimum amount of metal in its manufacture and has a minimum weight so that the drain tubs may be constructed at a low cost, within the means of a vast number of purchasers, and so that they are adapted to withstand rough handling and give a lifetime of service.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved drain tub assembly, including a rigid stand provided with legs, in which the legs and stand are employed for clamping the tubs to the top of the stand, thereby reducing the amount of labor required in the assembly of the parts, and reducing the machine operations, since no other fastening means need be provided for securing the tubs to the stand.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved drain tub assembly in which provision is made for the quick and easy draining of the tub, but the parts are so proportioned that there is no danger of the drain hose becoming unhooked accidentally.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved metal stand for drain tubs, in which the legs are provided with suitable extensions adapted to be used for gripping the bottom of the tub, and in which the same fastening means that secure the legs to the frame are used for securing the tub to the frame.

The present drain tubs are improvements over those covered by my prior application, Ser. No. 84,932, on Drain Tub Assemblies, filed April 1, 1949, now U. S. Patent No. 2,597,547; and one of the most important objects of the present invention is the provision of an improved construction which results in a substantial saving in the amount of steel required, while still attaining a maximum rigidity and strength.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, in which similar characters of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several Views.

Referring to the single sheet of drawings accompanying this speciiication,

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a twin drain tub assembly embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a top plan` view of the tubsupporting stand with only one leg attached; q

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional View, taken on the plane of the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 4 is a larger cross sectional view, taken on the plane of the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, showing the channelled construction of the frame;

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of one of the legs of the stand.

Referring to Fig. l, the tub assemblies ernbodying the invention preferably include a pair of similar standard galvanized tubs 2t, Zi iixedly supported on a stand, indicated in its entirety by the numeral 22.

The tubs employed may be of any suitable construction, provided they have an outwardly pro jecting bead or seam 23 around the lower edge of the tub. This bead or seam is customarily formed by turning the bottom 2li of each tub downward at its edge, as indicated at 25 (Fig. 3), and thereafter folding the edge upward again at 26 to form a groove 2l for receiving the side wall 28.

The outer upwardly extending flange 29 is clamped against the lower edge of the side wall and soldered and, when completed, forms an outwardly projecting rim or seam 23 around the lower edge of each tub.

The bottom of the tub may be suitably corrugated for reinforcement; and the side walls of the tubs may consist of four separate pieces 3u, identical in shape, and tapered toward the bottom, and joined together at the rounded corners by means of standard clincher seams 3i.

The top of the tub is preferably formed with an outwardly rolled cylindrical bead 32; and the side walls may have a plurality of horizontal corrugations 33, the entire tub being galvanized overall by dipping after completion.

At its center the tub bottom ifi is provider with a depending tubular spout 3i, to which the rubber hose 35 is secured by means of a suitable hose clamp. The length of the rubber hose 35 is preferably such that the hose has to be tensioned before it can be secured to the side of its tub,by means of the combined hose clamp and hook 3B.

The hose is preferably closed by means of a rubber plug 46, which prevents the water from sporting out of the upper end of the hose, which might otherwise occur when the tub is being filled with water, which runs down into the hose and acquires a certain momentum. The plug also prevents loss of the water when the hose happens to be left inv downwardly hanging condition. Making the hose 35 short enough to be tensioned insures the hook end 42 being held on the upper rim of the tub.

The stand 22 for the tubs preferably includes four identical legs 41 and an upper channelled frame 48, having a transverse frame member 49 (Fig. 2). The tubs 29, 2|, being provided with rounded corners, the frame 48 is also provided with rounded corners of similar size and shape to that of the bottom of the tubs.

The frame 48 is preferably made of a single strip of sheet steel in the form of a channelled member, having four sides 50-51-2, the ends of the said channelled member being overlapped and welded together inside the channel at a plurality of separate spot welds 31. The channelled member has a vertical body flange 54 (Fig. 4), which is inwardly convex and outwardly concave, and carries a horizontal flange 56 at the top and a horizontal ange 51 at the bottom.

These horizontal anges, combined with the curved body flange 54, give the frame a channelled shape and greatly increase its rigidity and reduce the amount of steel required to secure the same amount of rigidity. With the present frame construction, having the curved body flange 54, the frame need be made only half as wide in a vertical direction as the frames of the prior art.

The top ange 56 forms a seat with a bearing surface for supporting the tubs, which rest upon it upon three sides. In the present construction the horizontal flanges 56 and 51 extend continuously around the entire top and bottom of the frame, and are welded together, where they overlap. The frame 48 is of sufficient size to receive two tubs, as shown in Fig. 1, considering the fact that both tubs get larger toward the top, and must be spaced at their bottoms to be mounted on the frame.

In order to grip the tubs at the central portion of the frame 48, the transverse frame member 49 is provided. This frame member preferably has a flat body 59 provided at each end with a downwardly attaching flange 66. The at body may be corrugated for reinforcement; and it rests on the horizontal flanges 56, to which it is spot welded, as indicated at 38; and it is spot welded to the body flange 54 at a plurality of points, indicated at 3S.

The transverse frame member 49 has its lateral edges Si, 62 provided with upwardly turned gripping flanges; and these flanges are shaped in plan, as shown in Fig. 2, to t the side of each tub above the outwardly projecting beads or seams 23. To do this each flange 6l or 62 has a major straight portion and a curved portion 63 at each end for engaging the rounded corners of the tubs.

The flanges 6|, 62 are concavely curved on their outer side, as indicated at the point 64 (Fig. 3); and each iiange has an upper rim 65, which curves over into engagement with the side Walls of the adjacent tub. The rim 65 is above and inwardly of the bead 23 on each tub.

Thus the anges 6I, 62 on the central frame member 49 are shaped and located to grip the adjacent beads, which project from the bottom of the two adjacent tubs to provide a secure means for the tubs at the center of the frame. In order to secure the tubs in place they are gripped at their opposite or outer ends by means of the legs has a curved flange 66 (Fig. 2) extending over' 4- an arc of degrees and curved complementarily to the rounded corners of the frame 48.

This upper portion 66 of each leg serves as an attaching flange; and it bridges over the concave body portion 54 of the channelled frame.

The upper portion 66 also has a plurality of bolt holes 68, preferably at least four in number, and located close to the lateral edges of the leg and spaced vertically to register with apertures adjacent the top and bottom of the frame 43. The frame 48 has suitable registering apertures at each corner; and to allow some adjustment the lowermost apertures in the frame may consist of elongated oval apertures.

At its extreme upper edge the portion 66 of the leg has an inwardly turned gripping flange 69, which is adapted to t over the bead, rim, or seam 23, which projects from the lower corner of the tub. The gripping ange 69 is concavely curved on its inner side 10, similar to the curvature 64 of the anges 6 l 62 on the transverse frame member 49.

Thus each tub is gripped adjacent the middle of the frame by the frame member 46 and adjacent each of its outer corners by the ange 69 on a leg 41.

When the legs are attached to the frame, the same bolts 1l, provided with nuts on the inside of the frame, pass through the legs and the frame, and draw the legs tightly against the frame at the same time that the gripping flanges 69 on the legs grip the tubs. For this purpose the size of the tubs must, of course, be properly proportioned to the space between the gripping flanges 66 and 6I, 62. The legs 41 are preferably substantially U shape, each leg having a flat yoke 13 and a pair of side flanges 14, 15.

The yoke tapers downwardly and appears triangular in plan, as shown in Fig. 5; and near the bottom of the leg it assumes a substantially U shape with a curved yoke, as indicated at 16. tapering downwardly. At its extreme lower end each leg has a cylindrical formation 11 (Fig. l, Fig. 5) provided with a pair of radially extending attaching iianges 13, 19, which are spot welded together.

The cylindrical formation 11 grips a steel ferrule of the type usually employed for Supporting casters; and the casters may be of a standard type, having a headed shank, which is received in the bore of the ferrule.

The present tubs are fixedly secured to their frames; and when the tubs are lifted, the frames cannot be detached because they are permanently clamped by means of the legs and transverse frame member 49.

It will thus be observed that I have invented an improved twin tub stand assembly, in which the tubs are xedly secured and supported in a very rigid manner, with a minimum amount of steel.

When the legs are applied to the stand frame, they are employed for gripping the edges of the tubs; and the present frame may be provided with standard tubs of many different constructions, provided they have an outwardly projecting seam or bead at the lower edge of the outer wall. The present tubs are self-draining by merely removing the plug and permitting the hose to hang downward.

The tub assembly may be constructed at a verir low cost because the frames employ a minimum amount of metal and utilize the frame parts and legs for clamping the tubs. The frame and the legs may be galvanized by dipping, if desired; and

being constructed of sheet metal, the parts may be made by stamping operations, during which the holes are punched.

The present tub assemblies are durable, rigid and economical, and are adapted to give a lifetime of service without necessity for repair or replacement. In the event the tubs wear out, new tubs can be bought and clamped on the frame by means of the legs.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited te the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avai myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

In a twin tub assembly, the combination of a pair of metal tubs of substantially rectangular shape in plan, with rounded corners, having side walls and bottom joined by a laterally projecting bead formation, an integral one-piece frame adapted to nt under the adjacent bottoms of said pair of tubs when located side by side, said frame having' a central transverse frame member above said frame midway between the frame ends and formed at the ends of said member, with depending attaching flanges welded to said frame, and formed at its opposite edges with integral upward and outwardly projecting anges engaging over the bottom beads at the adjacent sides of said tubs, and four metal legs, each leg being provided with a partially cylindrical attaching flange at the top ntting on the outside of the rounded corners of said frame, said legs being tapered to a U-shape at the bottom and each leg having an upwardly and inwardly projecting ange at the top engaging over said bead at each of the outer corners of each of said tubs and clamping the tubs to said frame, said legs being each secured to said frame by a pair of upper and a pair of lower threaded members, said frame having upper and lower inwardly extending anges, the upper one of said flanges supporting said tubs, and said frame having an inwardly convex and outwardly concave yoke joining said anges, said yoke being bridged at each corner by the attaching flanges of said legs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 790,740 Ocumpaugh May 23, 1905 1,790,476 Johnson Jan. 27, 1931 2,037,510 Jackson Apr. 14, 1935` 2,053,830 Hunker Sept. 8, 1936 2,116,975 Kollman May 10, 1938 2,384,112 Meyer Sept. 4, 1945 2,597,547 Tiberi May 20, 1952 

